Apparatus for polishing lens



Jan. 21, 1964 J. c. DIPPREY ETAL 3,118,255

APPARATUS FOR POLISHING LENS 11(65111; ILA/651A` w w n 54`\ 7% AMM Jan- 21, 1954 J. c. DIPPREY ETAL 3,118,255

APPARATUS FOR POLISHING LENS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 31. 1961 dau@ d. Ja/yO//fef INVENTORJ United States Patent O 3,118,255 APPARATUS FR FQLISEWIG LENS James Calvin Dipprey, Houston, and .lesse Jl. Sandifer,

Pasadena, Tex., assignors to Uni-Matic, ine., a corporatien of Texas Filed May 31, 1961, Ser. No. 113,81) 4 Claims. (Cl. 51-55) The present invention relates to apparatus for polishing articles, and more particularly is directed to a novel apparatus for polishing Contact lens.

When glass, ceramic, or plastic articles are being polished, it is necessary to hold the article in various positions as it is polished. Furthermore, it is desirable to effect relative rotation or oscillation or any combination of oscillation and rotation or other movement between the article and the polishing pad or button. Heretofore, it has been necessary to hold or retain the article being polished by temporary glue or other material which must be cleaned off the article before it can be used in commerce.

In the manufacture of contact lens, the glue takes the form of pitch which is afhxed to the ylens so as to hold the lens while it is rotated whereupon it can be polished. It can be appreciated that the problem of cleaning the pitch off the contact lens after polishing is costly and also the presence of the pitch on the contact lens makes it difcult to visually ascertain when the contact lens has een properly polished.

The present invention is directed to a novel apparatus whereby various articles, such as Contact lens, may be polished with a minimum of effort and expense.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide in a polishing apparatus for Contact lens a novel arrangement for retaining the polishing pad or button in contact with the lens and elfecting simultaneous oscillation and relative rotation between the polishing pad or button and the contact lens.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a novel means of retaining a contact lens in engagement on a shaft as various operations are performed thereon, which means enables fthe contact lens to be visually inspected during the manufacturing operation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for simultaneously polishing a plurality of contact lens.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view illustrating the present invention with one of the polishing means engaged in actuated polishing position;

FIG. 2 is a rear View of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 and shows the means for rotating the shafts on which the contact lens are supported as well as the arrangement for creating a subatmospheric pressure within the shaft to retain the contact lens thereon;

FIG. 3 is a top View on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 on the left-hand portion of the apparatus for illustrating the means of reciprocating or moving the support shaft longitudinally of its axis;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of FIG. 2 to further illustrate the structural arrangement and relationship of the components of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of one of the rotating shafts showing the contact lens engaged thereon;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view illustrating one form of the valve means for opening and closing the hollow shafts to the reduced pressure creating means; and

FIG. 7 is a partial View, enlarged, showing a means of supporting the lens polishing portion on the horizontal shaft.

3,118,255 Patented Jan. 21, 1964 "ice Attention is first directed -to FIG. l of the drawings wherein the invention is illustrated generally by the numeral S. Suitable support means as illustrated generally at 9 are provided for the invention, such support including the base portion 1t) which is generally rectangular in configuration and is provided with the upstanding portion 11 extending longitudinally adjacent the rear portion thereof. The portion 11 is provided with the rearwardly inclined panel which extends from the longitudinal juncture 13 of the base portion 10 and the upwardly extending portion 11. The portion 10 and the portion 11 provide a receptacle for receiving the power components of the present invention and for supporting the apparatus in a desired relationship.

A horizontally extending shaft 14 is mounted on the support S by suitable brackets 15 and 16', which brackets space the shaft 14 forwardly and in horizontal relationship. A plurality of polishing means designated generally at 16 is provided on the shaft 14 at spaced intervals. As illustrated in the drawings, the polishing means 16 each include a bearing 17 which is in the form of a sleeve and is rotatable on the shaft 14 about its longitudinal axis. Each of the sleeve bearings 17 is retained in its desired position on 'the shaft 14 by means of the nuts 18 which slidably fit on the shaft 14 and abut at each end of the sleeve bearing 17 as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The slidable nuts 13 may be retained in position on the shaft 14 by suitable means such as an Allen screw engaged therethrough and in abutting relationship with the shaft 14 for holding the nuts 13 and sleeve 17 therebetween in a desired position on the shaft 14.

It will be noted that the rotation or pivoting of the sleeve bearing 17 about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 1d is limited by reason of the circumferentially extending slot 19 in the end thereof which is adapted to engage a pin 20 which extends from one of the adjacent nuts 18. Thus, when the polishing means is in raised position, the pin 29 will engage the end 21 of the slot 19 so as to retain the lens polishing means 16 in a desired position on the shaft 14 as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Each of the sleeve bearings 17 includes spindles 22 and 23 which extend laterally and radially from the sleeve bearing 17 as illustrated in the drawings. It will be noted that the spindles 22 and 23 are arranged at an angle relative to each other so that when the lens polishing means 16 is in operating position, the counterweight 24 on the spindle 22 will act to urge the spindle 23 against the lens being polished as will be described hereinafter.

An adjustable bracket 25 is provided on each of the spindles 23, the bracket 25 being provided with a thumbscrew 26 whereby it may be adjusted to various positions along the spindle 23 as will be desired. A spindle pin 27 is carried by each of the brackets 25 for urging a polishing button 3d against the article to be polished, such as the contact lens 31 as illustrated in FIG. 5.

It will be noted that the end 31 of the pin 27 is sharpened and iits within the concave portion 32 of the polishing button Sil to accommodate movement of the polishing button 30 relative to the contact lens while retaining the pin 27 and polishing button 30 engaged as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The polishing button 30 is provided with a suitable polishing material such as a special wax as illustrated at 33 in FIG. 5.

A plurality of hollow shafts 34 are arranged in the front 12 at spaced intervals Itherealong and below the shaft 14. A suitable support as illustrated at 35 may be secured to the front 12 for supporting the shaft as it extends through the front 12 of the portion 11, and each shaft 34 is provided with a suitable bearing as illustrated at 36 to accommodate rotation thereof. The bore 37 which extends longitudinally of the hollow shaft 34 is provided for reducing the pressure therein below atmospheric whereby a contact lens may be held in position on the shaft during rotation thereof and while the contact lens is being polished.

Each shaft 34 is rotatably mounted in the bushing 4l), there being suitable seal means as illustrated at 4l for sealing ofi between the shaft 34 and bushing 4t?.

`In order to rotate each hollow shaft 34, a pulley 42 is mounted thereon in front of each of the bushings 40. An endless belt 44 engages the pulleys and is in turn engaged with the pulley 42a on the shaft of the motor 45 whereby each of the pulleys 42 and the shaft 34 on which they are mounted may be rotated. It will be noted that the belt 44 is connected on each of the pulleys 42 so that the rotation of each of the shafts 34 is balanced with the rotation of adjacent shafts.

An idler pulley 47 is carried by a suitable bracket 4S which is mounted in the support 8 as best shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

Suitable means are provided for reciprocating the shaft V14 longitudinally along its axis, such means being better illustrated in FlG. 3 of the drawings, and designated generally by the numeral 50. As previously noted, the shaft 14 is suported on the front 12 and in spaced relation thereto by the brackets 15 and 16. A sprocket 51 is mounted on one of the shafts 34 at one end of the support 9 as seen in dotted line in FlG. 2 and as seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, such sprocket being connected with the gear 53 mounted on the shaft 54. The shaft 54 in turn is supported in the support 8 by suitable bearing means 55 and extends through the ifront 12. As shown in FIG. 3, an enlarged end 56 is provided on a shaft 54 and a pin 57 is eccentrically mounted in the enlarged end. The pin 57 is connected by the strip 53 to the bracket 59 and the strip is pivotally secured to the bracket 59 by means of the pin `60. The bracket 59 includes a rearward extension 61 which extends through an opening in bracket 15, there being a member 62 secured on the rearward extension 61 in spaced relation to bracket 15 as seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The bracket 59 also includes a laterally extending plate member 63 which is secured by suitable means such as the pin 64 about shaft 14 and in spaced relation to bracket 15. It will be noted that shaft 14 extends through the bracket 15 and bracket 16 a suitable distance, and 62 is also connected to 14 as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, reciprocation of the shaft 14 may be effected, and the above enables such function to be accomplished without disengaging 14 from the support brackets 15 and 16.

Thus, when gear 51 and gear 53 are rotated, shaft 54 in turn is rotated and this in return rotates the enlarged end 56 and eccentric pin 5-7. This movement is transmitted to the shaft 14 through the pivot connection of the member 58 with the bracket 59 and through the extending portions 62 and 63 of 59 which are also connected to the shaft 14.

Thus, as each of the power shafts 34 are rotated, the shaft 14 is continually reciprocated along its longitudinal axis.

A manifold designated generally at 69 is provided and may be connected by any suitable means to a vacuum pump represented generally by the numeral 61 as shown in FIG. 2. Such connection is represented schematically by the numeral 62. The manifold 60 is connected through a plurality of valves 65 to the conduits 66, there being one conduit 66 for connection into each of the bushings 40 in Which one end of the rotatable shafts 34 are oannied and one valve 65 for each conduit 66. This structural arrangement is illustrated in enlarged form in FIG. of the drawings, and it will be noted that the tube 66 is threadedly engaged in the bushing 40 at one end and when the respective valve means 65 in the conduit 66 is opened, the vacuum pump 61 will `create a reduced pressure within the bore 37 O the shaft 34.

The valve may assume any suitable form, and as shown in the drawings, it includes a valve stem with a valve face 71 thereon adapted to engage the seat 72. A spring 73 normally biases the valve stem upwardly so as to urge it to open position. A toggle 74 is pivotally mounted at 75 as to engage the top 76 of the valve stem 7u, and when this toggle is moved upwardly, the valve stern 7d is moved down against the spring 73 so as to seat on the valve seat 72, thereby closing olf communication between the conduit 69 and the conduit 66.

While it is believed that the operation of the present invention is apparent by reason of the foregoing description, it will be assumed that `a Contact lens is to be engaged and supported by the present invent-ion as it is polished. A litting St m-ay be slidably engaged over the end of the shaft 34, such fitting having a convex or contoured face 31 on the end thereof. It can be appreciated that if desired the litt-ing @il maybe formed -as `a part of the shaft 34. The contact lens illustrated at 31' is positioned on the convex end S1, and the toggle 74 will be moved to a position so as to open the manifold 66 to the conduit 66 which communicates with that respective shaft 34. Of course, the vacuum pump 61 and motor 45 are functioning, and this creates a subatmospheric pressure in the manifold 6i) which may be communicated to any or all of the conduits 66 and their respective shafts 34. The subatmospheric pressure in the shafts 34 retains the contact lens 31 in position as the motor 45 rotates shaft 34. The button 36 engaged against lens 31 will cause the wax 33 to exert a polishing action on the contact lens.

Simultaneously with the above action, the shaft 14 is reciprocating along its longitudinal axis since the reciprocating means 50 is always in operation when motor 45 is running. This reciprocation is translated through each of the polishing means 16 to move button 30. More particularly, reciprocation of shaft 14 also reciprocates each sleeve 17 and the spindles 22 and 23 thereon. The spindle pin 27, being secured to 22, is thus reciprocated and its manner of engagement in the concave portion 32 of button 39 will move 39. T he connection of the sharpened end 31 and the concave portion 32 of the button 30 forms a universal connection and enables 30 to move freely over the lens 31. However, the button 30, by reason of counterweight 24, will remain engaged against the lens 31 until the polishing means 16 is manually raised away from the lens. The arrangement of the polishing button and the end 31 of the spindle pin 27 causes the polishing button to oscillate or move about the face of the contact lens 31 as it is rotating along with shaft 34. This arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings and includes, as noted above, the concave portion 32 in the polishing button 30 which engages the sharpened end 31 of the spindle pin 27. Thus, as spindle pin 27 is moved by the reciprocating shaft 14, it moves the polishing button 30 about the contact lens 31.

The counterweight 24 is arranged relative to the spindle 23 so that when one of the polishing means 16 is rotated about the shaft 14 to lens polishing position, a slight force is exerted against the polishing button 30 through the spindle pin 27 and spindle 23 to retain it in engagement with the contact lens 31.

Polishing of the contact lens may take as little as a minute and one-half, and when the polishing has been accomplished, the valve 65 may be closed whereupon the bearing 17 may be manually rotated about the shaft 14 by grasping the counterweight 24 and moving it upwardly. This moves the spindle pin 27 away from engagement with the button 39, and the button 36 may be quickly and easily disengaged from the contact lens, whereupon a new or different contact lens may then be positioned on the shaft 34 for polishing.

It can be appreciated that, as shown in the drawings, a plurality of shafts 34 are provided and a plurality of polishing means 16 are provided, one polishing means for each shaft 34. This enables a plurality of contact lens to 'De simultaneously polished with a minimum of edort. vacuum arrangement of the present invention enables the Contact lens to be held firmly in engagement against the polishing button 3t while it acts to polish the cont ct lens 3l', yet does not leave any material or residue on toe lens after it has been removed olf the shaft which would require cleaning or further handling of the lens.

The lresent invention has been described in great detail in its application in connection with Contact lens since it has particular use in connection with the manufacture of contact lens; however, it can he appreciated that the present invention can he applied equally as well to various ooiects including glass and ceramic objects which it is desired to handle or hold While work is being performed thereon.

Broadly, the present invention relates to apparatus for retaining an article while work is being performed thereon, and more particularly to an apparatus for holding a Contact lens as it is being polished which does not require further cleaning or treatment of the contact lens after polishing.

What is claimed is:

l. An appar Ltus for polishing Contact lens comprising, a longitudinally extending shaft, means to support said shaft in a horizontal position, means to reciprocate said shaft along its longitudinal axis, a plurality of spaced rotatahle hearing means on said shaft, means to retain said hearing means on said shaft, a spindle extending from each of said hearing means, a Weight mounted on said searing to retain said spindle in elevated position when ot n use, adjustable bracket means mounted on said spinal-es, a spindle pin held by said bracket means, each or" said spindle pins having a sharpened point, a polishing button having a concave surface to be engaged by said of said spindle pin to support said polishbu engagement with a Contact lens, support means for supporting a plurality of contact lens longitudinally spaced below said shaft, said support means including a rotatable shaft for each Contact lens, a longitu-c ally extending passage through said shafts, means to rotate said shar7 means for reducing the pressure in said rotating shaft passages `oclow atmospheric pressure to hold the contact lens therein, means mounted on said shafts providing a convex portion for receiving the Contact lens thereon, said rotatable shafts rotating the contact lens while engaged by said button for polishing, and said reciprocable shaft moving longitudinally of its axis to move said polishin.o button about the rotating contact lens.

2. In a contact lens polishing device, a support, a horizontally extending shaft on said support, contact lens polishing means pivotally mounted on said shaft, hollow shaft means rotatably mounted in said housing, said shafts having one end contoured to receive a Contact lens thereon, means for reducing the pressure in said shafts below atmospheric to retain the Contact lens on said shaft means, said polishing means including a pin, said polishing means including a polishing button, means to reciprocate said shaft means longitudinally, and connecting means between said pin and button to accommodate movement of said button while maintaining it engaged with said lens.

3. in a polishing device, a support, a horizontally extending shaft thereon, means to reciprocate said shaft along its longitudinal axis, hollow shaft means on said support for supporting the article to be polished thereon, means Lo rotate said shaft means, means for reducing the pressure in said shafts below atmospheric to retain the articles on said shafts while they `are rotating, pivoftally mounted polishing rneans on said shafts for engagement with the article to polish it, said means including a polishing button, said means including a pin for holding said button against the article, said pin and button being in abutting relationship, said pin and button being constructed and `arranged to move said polishing means over the article when said shaft reciprocates.

4. A Contact lens polishing device including a shaft supported in a horizontal position, at least one lens polishing means mounted to pivot about the axis of said shaft, said means including a pair of spindles extending radially therefrom, a counterweight on one of said spindles, adjustable bracket means on the other spindle, a pin carried by said bracket, a hollow shaft mounted below each of said polishing means for supporting a lens thereon, means to rotate said shaft, means connected therewith to reduce the pressure in said shaft for holding said lens thereon, a polishing button ahutted against the contact lens and said pin, said pin held thereagainst by said counterweight, means to reciprocate said shaft longitudinally to move said polishing button over the lens as it is rotated by said shaft.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENS 

4. A CONTACT LENS POLISHING DEVICE INCLUDING A SHAFT SUPPORTED IN A HORIZONTAL POSITION, AT LEAST ONE LENS POLISHING MEANS MOUNTED TO PIVOT ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHAFT, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SPINDLES EXTENDING RADIALLY THEREFROM, A COUNTERWEIGHT ON ONE OF SAID SPINDLES, ADJUSTABLE BRACKET MEANS ON THE OTHER SPINDLE, A PIN CARRIED BY SAID BRACKET, A HOLLOW SHAFT MOUNTED BELOW EACH OF SAID POLISHING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A LENS THEREON, MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT, MEANS CONNECTED THEREWITH TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE IN SAID SHAFT FOR HOLDING SAID LENS THEREON, A POLISHING BUTTON ABUTTED AGAINST THE CONTACT LENS AND SAID PIN, SAID PIN HELD THEREAGAINST BY SAID COUNTERWEIGHT, MEANS TO RECIPROCATE SAID SHAFT LONGITUDINALLY TO MOVE SAID POLISHING BUTTON OVER THE LENS AS IT IS ROTATED BY SAID SHAFT. 